Sanomi Explained

Sanomi
Cover:Sanomi.jpg
Type:single
Language:Imaginary
Artist:Urban Trad
Album:Sanomi
B-Side:Get Reel
Released:2003
Genre:Modern Celtic
Length:4:08
Label:Mercury Records
Producer:
  • Yves Barbieux
  • Nicolas Vandooren
Misc:
Embed:yes
Song: "Sanomi"
Year:2003
Country:Belgium
As:Urban Trad
Language:Imaginary
Composer:Yves Barbieux
Lyricist:Yves Barbieux
Place:2nd
Points:165
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"Sanomi" is a song recorded by Belgian band Urban Trad, written by . It in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, held in Riga. It was the first song not in a natural language ever performed at the contest.

Background

Concepion

"Sanomi" was written in an imaginary language by, a member of the Belgian folk music band Urban Trad, of which he was a part along with, Marie-Sophie Talbot, Didier Laloy,, Cédric Waterschoot,,, and Michel Morvan.[1]

Eurovision

The Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF) "Sanomi" as for the of the Eurovision Song Contest.[2] For the song to participate in the contest, it had to be shortened to fit into three minutes, and since only six people are allowed on stage, Collier, Masure, and Morvan would not perform at Eurovision.[1]

Both versions, the standard 4:08 album version and the Eurovision 2:59 version, were released on record, the latter with Collier's vocals removed. This was because RTBF dropped Collier on the advice of the Belgian security services, who claimed that she had had far right sympathies in the past. She vigorously denied the claims, and after an investigation later that year it was concluded that the accusations were exaggerated and based on outdated information.[3]

On 24 May 2003, the Eurovision Song Contest was held in the Skonto Hall in Riga hosted by Latvian Television (LTV) and broadcast live throughout the continent. Urban Trand performed "Sanomi" twenty-second on the evening, following 's "Hello From Mars" by F.L.Y. and preceding 's "Eighties Coming Back" by Ruffus. [4] It was the first occasion that a song not in a natural language was performed at the contest.[5]

At the close of voting, it had received 165 points, placing second in a field of twenty-six, in one of the closest finishes in the contest's history, finishing with just two fewer points than the eventual winner –"Everyway That I Can" by Sertab Erener for – and only one point above third-placed –"Ne Ver', Ne Boysia" by t.A.T.u. for –.[6] This was the second time that Belgium finished as the runner-up, the first being "L'amour ça fait chanter la vie" by Jean Vallée in, and it was also the country's best placing in the contest since "J'aime la vie" by Sandra Kim victory in .

Track listing

  1. "Sanomi" (Eurovision Edit)
  2. "Get Reel"

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sanomi - lyrics. The Diggiloo Thrush.
  2. Web site: National Selections: 2003. Eurovisionworld.
  3. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/1422729/Belgium-bans-neo-Nazi-Eurovision-singer.html "Belgium bans 'neo-Nazi' Eurovision singer"
  4. Eurovision Song Contest 2003. Eurovision Song Contest 2003. Eurovision Song Contest. Eurovision Song Contest. LTV / EBU. 24 May 2003.
  5. Web site: 14 of Terry Wogan's most memorable quotes from Eurovision . https://web.archive.org/web/20160201165722/https://metro.co.uk/2016/01/31/14-of-terry-wogans-most-memorable-eurovision-quotes-5654140/ . 31 Jan 2016 . 1 Feb 2016 . Caroline Westbrook . . 8 - ‘They’ve got four languages in Belgium…and they’re singing in an imaginary one. The very essence of the Euro.’...very nearly won the contest... . live.
  6. Web site: Final of Riga 2003. Eurovision Song Contest. 2020-04-15.